4 must-know details about Kesha’s new album (plus video of her singing with Wayne Coyne and Ben Folds Five, just ’cause)

Does upcoming album Warrior mark the beginning of a new era for Ke$ha? 'Cause the girl's still spelling her name with a dollar sign...

Ke$ha’s giving you an album before the year is through, a fact she hasn’t let Twitter — or the good citizens of Tokyo – forget this summer. But ’til now, there’s been precious little info on when fans might be able to exchange their hard-earned K-dollahs for a new record.

Ke$ha shared the particulars via Twitter earlier today.

1) The album will be called Warrior.

2) It is due December 4.

3) It — obvs. — has a cover, which Ke$ha revealed. Please see above. (Rest easy: “Warrior” Ke$ha hates pants and loves glitter just as much as her Animal-era self.)

4) First single, “Die Young,” will arrive Sept. 25.

No tracklisting yet.(Update: A deluxe edition tracklisting surfaced via Ke$ha’s official store. Check it out below.) Ke$ha and her producer Dr. Luke have been as open as a 24-hour Liquor Barn about the recording process, and as of July, she told Rolling Stone that the pair had concocted as many as 17 tracks together. This time, here’s hoping he doesn’t give the exact same tunes to Katy Perry (“TiK ToK” still sounds like “California Gurls’” evil twin, to us) — but then, Ke$ha’s been pro-active about lending the collection her inimitable sleazy steez. In the making of the disc, she managed to recruit an eclectic roster of musicians — Iggy Pop, The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney, Ben Folds and (surprise bestie) Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips. It’s unclear whether any or all of those collaborations will make the final cut, but they serve to make Warrior one of 2012′s greatest pop curiosities, at least.

Also: she’s repeatedly mentioned that the new disc will better show off her singing voice. If you’ve heard her Feist-like cover of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right,” you know Ke$ha does indeed have pipes — even if they’ve previously been thrown into a garburator of Auto-Tune and other assorted effects — and as Dr. Luke told Billboard last month, she insisted that her vocals come through au naturel this time round.

Still, as Dr. Luke hinted in that same Billboard interview, Warrior probably won’t mark a complete 180 for Ke$ha. She’s still spelling her name with a dollar sign, after all. “You’re going to hear an artist that’s grown and is evolving, but it’s Ke$ha,” Dr. Luke said of the record. “She’s no choir girl yet.”

She is, however, something of a country fan. Girl grew up in Nashville, after all. And over the weekend, Ke$ha was an unexpected guest at Ben Folds Five‘s concert at the city’s history Ryman Auditorium. Another special guest helped Ke$ha surprise the crowd. Not Mokey Fraggle — though they probably share the same stylist. Wayne Coyne appeared onstage with the pop star to sing the jokey Conway Twitty/Loretta Lynn duet, “You’re the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly.”

“I’ve been sh*ttin’ my pants the whole night because I’m so excited about this,” Folds, who accompanied the duo on piano, reportedly told the crowd as he welcomed Ke$ha and Coyne to the stage.

Seeing is believing, so there’s fan video of the duet posted below. As Folds told Rolling Stone after the show: “This is why I do this music gig! … are both ace people. True and unique talents. I hope our effort together towards Ke$ha’s new album sees the light of day. I arranged some strings, and Wayne did some singing.”

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.